He plays Feng Yuxiu, and his girlfriend is a fairy-like beauty.

Huang Qiusheng held the cigarette between his fingers.

He stood up and patted Ye Mo on the shoulder.

"Alright, analysis is analysis, but life goes on. The nomination list has just been released, and there's still more than a month until the awards ceremony. You should film or eat during this time."

"Don't keep thinking about that trophy—the more you think about it, the less likely you are to win it."

Ye Mo nodded.

Zeng Zhiwei added from the side, "Qiu Sheng is right. When I was nominated for Best Actor, I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep for three days."

"Sitting in the audience on the day of the awards ceremony, my palms were sweaty, but I didn't win. Later, I realized—whether I win or not is the judges' business, whether I perform or not is my own."

"So you took it later?" Ye Mo asked.

"Later, I was nominated every year, and I wasn't nervous at all. Every year—" Zeng Zhiwei paused for a moment, "but I still didn't get it."

Several people burst out laughing at the same time.

Zeng Zhiwei wasn't annoyed. Holding his thermos, he slowly said, "But I'm not nervous anymore. And when I'm not nervous, I actually act even better. So Ye Mo—you should listen to Qiu Sheng's words: being nominated is a victory. The rest is up to fate."

Andy Lau stood up, took his sunglasses off his head, and put them back on his nose.

"Alright, let's get started."

...

The cast and crew of "Kung Fu Jungle".

The news hasn't stopped since the afternoon.

First, someone posted a screenshot of the official Hong Kong Film Awards nomination list in the group chat. Then...

The screenshot was later broken down into several parts—Best Film, Best Action Choreography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, with each nomination followed by a string of exclamation marks.

"Four nominations! Guys, we got four nominations!"

"Best movie!!! I cried!!!"

"Best action choreography—Bullet Guy! Bullet Guy, can you see that?!"

Zeng Zi replied with a voice message.

His tone remained steady as always: "I saw it. Everyone worked hard. The nomination belongs to the production team, and the award also belongs to the production team."

The group was silent for two seconds.

Then someone tagged Ye Mo.

"Ye Mo! Best Supporting Actor nomination! Did you see that?!"

"He definitely saw it; he's all over the trending topics right now."

"The character Feng Yuxiu was so amazing. Some people online say, 'There will never be another Feng Yuxiu after Ye Mo'—I've read that sentence several times, and every time I get goosebumps."

"I just came across a post analyzing Feng Yuxiu's alleyway battle, saying that there was something in Ye Mo's eyes—it wasn't acting, he was genuinely insane."

"Where's Ye Mo? Come out and say something!"

Ye Mo typed a few words.

"I saw it, thank you everyone, the nomination is thanks to the whole team."

"Don't be modest. Best Supporting Actor is your own nomination. Out of our group's four nominations, you're the only one who made it into the acting category."

"Online support statistics show that Ye Mo has over 40%, Uncle Da has 30%, and the remaining few combined have less than 30%, indicating a very high level of support."

"It's not that there's a lot of praise, it's that the acting is so good. I've watched that scene several times, and I still can't understand how a normal person could portray that kind of madness."

Tan Ge sent another voice message.

"Ye Mo, no matter the outcome, you've given the role of Feng Yuxiu to its fullest potential. The rest is up to the judges."

Ye Mo replied.

"Thanks, Brother Tan. What should I wear to the awards ceremony?"

The conversation in the group instantly went off-topic.

"A suit! A black suit!"

"Wear a bow tie, never a necktie, it makes you look old."

...

The phone rang again.

This time it was a phone call.

The name on the screen is Liu Yifei.

Ye Mo answered the call.

"Feed—"

"Ye Mo!!!"

The sound was so loud that he moved his phone half an inch away from the phone.

"You've been nominated for a Hong Kong Film Award!! Best Supporting Actor!!"

"I know--"

"Do you know why you didn't call me?! I only found out about it online! You nominated me but didn't tell me?!"

I just woke up—

"You slept for two days?!"

How did you know—

"Brother Sammo Hung told my agent that you were so exhausted that you didn't even attend the wrap party. He called to ask if you were dead, and you said you were sleeping."

"..."

"Ye Mo."

"Um?"

"This is your first nomination."

Liu Yifei's voice suddenly stopped booming and became quiet.

They spoke slowly and deliberately, as if they were saying a secret code that only the two of them understood.

Ye Mo held his phone.

Liu Yifei's breathing could be heard through the receiver.

He seemed to be in a hurry, as if he had just finished running a distance.

Do you know how difficult it is to get nominated for a Hong Kong Film Awards? Many actors spend their entire careers without ever even making it onto the nomination list—

"He's not the best leading man."

"..."

My goal is to become a Best Actor.

Ye Mo's tone was very flat.

I'm not joking, and I'm not being arrogant.

It's like stating a fact that will happen sooner or later.

Liu Yifei was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

Then he chuckled.

"Is it because of my mom that you care so much about the Best Actor award?"

".."

"Silence means consent."

"Your mom said last time that you're a good actor, but you haven't won enough awards. I still remember that."

She just said it casually—

"What you say offhand is often the truth."

Liu Yifei sighed.

"Okay, then you should win Best Supporting Actor this time, and then Best Actor next time. Take it one step at a time."

"I haven't won Best Supporting Actor yet."

"You'll definitely take it; everyone online is supporting you."

"You also browsed it online?"

"...I just swiped it once."

"How long did it take to refresh?"

Liu Yifei did not answer.

Ye Mo could imagine her expression at this moment—her lips slightly pursed, her chin tilted up a little, her eyes looking elsewhere, pretending not to care.

But she was scrolling, and she scrolled for a long time.

...

Soon, it was January.

The final scene of "Infernal Affairs".

Rooftop.

A confrontation scene between Andy Lau and Ye Mo.

Ye Mo could no longer distinguish when he was Ye Mo and when he was Chen Yongren.

This feeling lasted for several months of filming, with each scene switching back and forth between the two characters' bodies, until eventually the two characters seemed to have grown into the same set of bones.

The stagehand called out the final "Cut!"

Liu Weiqiang stood up from behind the monitor.

He took off his headphones and put them on the table.

Then he looked up at the two people still standing on the rooftop and nodded.

"Passed."

Two words.

Ye Mo stood on the edge of the rooftop, the wind blowing his hair into a mess.

He turned his head and saw that Andy Lau was also looking at him.

The two looked at each other for a second, then smiled at the same time.

Director Liu, holding a megaphone, announced: "Infernal Affairs has officially wrapped filming!"

The entire crew started cheering.

it is finally over!

...

Below the rooftop.

The whole group gathered together.

Andy Lau took off his police uniform jacket and draped it over his shoulders, revealing a white shirt underneath—two buttons undone at the collar and sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

This is his most relaxed state. Not Lau Kin-ming. It's Andy Lau.

"Ye Mo, do you know which scene I'm most afraid of filming with you?"

Which one?

"Every single one." Andy Lau held up two fingers.

"You don't have any sportsmanship when filming. One second you're joking around with me, the next second you yell 'action,' and your eyes change instantly. That kind of thing isn't acting—it's like you're a completely different person. When I act with you, I often have the illusion that Chen Yongren is really standing in front of me."

"We complement each other on set," Ye Mo smiled.

Zeng Zhiwei walked over.

He had removed Han Chen's makeup, reverting to his usual amiable and prosperous face, still carrying that unchanging thermos in his hand.

"Ye Mo, I'll look for you again when I'm filming—you have to come, no matter what role you play."

"Brother Zhiwei—"

"Seriously." Zeng Zhiwei's tone was unusually free of teasing.

"If you go to Hollywood and then stop answering our calls, this statement will be proof."

Liu Weiqiang shouted from the back of the crowd.

"The wrap party is tonight at Donghai Restaurant! Nobody's allowed to run away!"

The whole group cheered.

......